Sweco Belgium
Circular Water Network Antwerp finalist at the VLARIO Innovation Award 2025
The Circular Water Network Antwerp has achieved a top 3 ranking at the VLARIO Innovation Award 2025. The city of Antwerp will build a circular water network connecting the Schijn River to ponds and parks in the city centre in the coming years. This smart network must address declining groundwater levels and drought.
“This finalist position is great recognition for our vision to reuse water as much as possible. By recycling precious water in the city, we offer solutions to drought and water scarcity. We are grateful for the commitment of all stakeholders and partners. Together, we will ensure that Antwerp remains a green and liveable city, especially in times of climate change.”
Karim Bachar, Alderman for Environment
“We are proud that our project has reached the final round. This confirms that we are heading in the right direction with our innovative solutions for integrated water management. We aim to make a difference in design and stakeholder management through our multidisciplinary expertise.”
Arthur Peeters, Team Manager Hydraulic Infrastructure at Sweco
Project challenge
The city’s groundwater is very low in many places and will continue to drop due to climate change. Besides emptier ponds, the low groundwater level also leads to less healthy urban greenery. In Antwerp, there is also an additional risk that brackish Scheldt water will infiltrate the city’s subsoil. That brackish water replaces the fresh groundwater and could have harmful effects on greenery in the city and also affects the foundations of buildings and other structures.
Climate-resilient approach
The city of Antwerp is committed to the reuse of water through the development of a new circular water network, fed by permanent dewatering and surface water from the river Groot Schijn. This will save drinking water and ensure that green areas receive sufficient water, promoting better urban greenery growth. It also helps combat urban heat, promotes biodiversity, and improves groundwater levels.
Water reuse
Wastewater that would otherwise flow to the sea can be purified and reused in the city centre. To get all that water where it is needed, transport pipelines are necessary. This creates a circular water network with various circular water pipelines (CWLs). Sweco is closely involved in the development of two of these pipelines: CWL South and CWL Schijn. Both CWLs will flow into an urban pond, aiming to keep it balanced and maintain groundwater levels in the city centre. They also branch off to other customers, such as parks, developments, ZOO Antwerp, and tapping points for the Parks & Nature Maintenance Department.
Who is involved?
The city of Antwerp plays a leading role in promoting circular water use. In addition to the city, various partners are involved in this project, including sewer manager and drinking water supplier water-link, ZOO Antwerp, autonomous municipal company AG Vespa, the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM), and water purifier Aquafin. The rollout of the circular water network is also supported by the Government of Flanders and the European Union.
About the VLARIO Innovation Award
The VLARIO Innovation Prize, awarded annually by VLARIO vzw, focuses on stimulating innovation within municipal water management and sewerage systems. This award provides a platform where companies and governments can present their innovative solutions. These innovations can range from new visions and concepts to products, services, processes, or projects that contribute to sustainable water management. More info: www.vlario.be
This initiative is part of a programme by the Flanders Environment Agency that is part of the Blue Deal. The Blue Deal is a programme launched by the Government of Flanders in the fight against water scarcity and drought. The programme includes more than 70 actions and 400 projects. With the Blue Deal, Flanders is moving towards less hardening, more wetting, and maximum circular water use.
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